NSW Labor leader Chris Minns has vowed to “restore integrity” to the grants system by legislating against pork-barrelling, if he wins next month’s election.
Key points:
- NSW Labor’s plan to overhaul grants comes after a scathing report on the administration of bushfire relief
- It includes the independent auditing of all disaster relief funding
- Leader Chris Minns says it shouldn’t matter where you live or who you voted for
The plan, announced at an ALP rally in Western Sydney, comes days after the release of a scathing investigation by the state’s auditor general into how bushfire recovery grants were handed out.
It revealed the office of former deputy premier John Barilaro intervened in a $100 million bushfire recovery program, altering the guidelines which resulted in Labor electorates missing out on emergency funding — despite being ravaged by the deadly Black Summer fires.
The Perrottet government has referred the audit office’s report to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), after Mr Minns threatened to do so himself.
If elected, Labor has promised that disaster relief will be independently audited, and grant guidelines will be legislated.
Mr Minns told the Penrith rally the latest grants saga was another symptom of a government that had been in power for too long.
“This behaviour is representative of a government that after 12 years in office believe they can literally get away with anything,” he said.
“Australians don’t respond well to bribes. No reasonable Australian would believe that in the midst of a bushfire disaster, a sky-diving park should receive funding before a fire station.”
He said Labor would ensure that all major natural disaster relief packages were automatically referred to the auditor general.
And in line with a previous recommendation made by ICAC, all grants will be forwarded for review within three months, and fast-track grants will also be subject to performance reviews.
“We will also put key pork-barrelling protections in government regulations. We’ll be there for you, no matter where you live,” he said.
“We can never accept the premise that a natural disaster will be politically manipulated so that money can be pork-barrelled just to the party in government.
“We’re going to make sure that rules are being put in place so this never happens again.”
Premier Dominic Perrottet has defended his efforts to strengthen grant guidelines since taking over the top job.
He announced a review of grants administration, and changed the ministerial code of conduct.
“My job as premier is to make sure there is no politics played in the administration of grants in any capacity and that’s why I made the changes,” he said.
“That’s why one of the first things I did when I became premier was to implement that review and change the ministerial code of conduct to ensure the public service and ministerial discretion follows those guidelines, and the funds go where they are meant to.
“It always needs to be free of politics and interference.”
The difference with Labor’s approach is that the changes would become law.